little flying buggers

model a man 3/4/2011, 1:01 pm

I have flying around and crawling around in my boxes what looks like pinhead size flys and when they are flying they look white but when landed they have black bodies with white/silver looking wings. I also have in one box something munching on my bok choy leaves but I can see any bugs but they are very small plants with only 2 leaves on them. I am going to see if I can find some natural soap to make some soap spray or will see if my local big box sells any organic soap spray. is there something I am doing wrong or is this normal when growing food

cabinfever 3/4/2011, 1:55 pm

Eeeeeeeeeeew! I hate bugs! Hope someone can help!

dizzygardener 3/4/2011, 4:10 pm

Is this the little bugger? little flying buggers Fungus_gnat

If so, it's a fungus gnat. More info here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05584.html

model a man 3/7/2011, 12:07 pm

I am pretty sure they are fungus gnats. I bought some organic bug spray and I think I am keeping my beds to wet so I am letting them dry out some and I am also trying to find a place to buy a plant called cape sundew (drosera capensis) the way I understand it is they attract the gnats and the plant digest them.
Thanks

model a man 3/11/2011, 12:21 am

today I made my own sticky papers and put them all around the yard. caught a lot of bugs. I found a lot of aphids and some little black bugs stuck to the paper which I think are fungus gnats. I am also not watering as often and per another fourm I sprinkled ground cinnamon in the boxes it is suppose to keep the gnats away and used soap spray on my rose bushes to get the rest of the aphids. I will see how all this works

**camprn** 3/11/2011, 6:12 am

grrr aphids! bleck!! Did you use tanglefoot and yellow paper? Good luck with your pests!

model a man 3/11/2011, 10:43 am

yes I used tanglefoot and yellow, green and pink poster board, all fluorescent colors

model a man 3/12/2011, 12:36 am

tonight I went outside with a flashlight to look for bugs. I found what I think is a cutworm crawling on my spinach. I was only able to find one so far, I will try again tomorrow night to see if I can find anymore. is there other ways to get rid of them?

Megan 3/12/2011, 5:51 am

model a man wrote:today I made my own sticky papers and put them all around the yard. caught a lot of bugs. I found a lot of aphids and some little black bugs stuck to the paper which I think are fungus gnats. I am also not watering as often and per another fourm I sprinkled ground cinnamon in the boxes it is suppose to keep the gnats away and used soap spray on my rose bushes to get the rest of the aphids. I will see how all this works

How did you make the sticky papers? Share please!

Unfortunately, bugs are a part of gardening.... Around here, the first pests I encountered last year were flea beetles.

model a man 3/13/2011, 4:03 pm

Here is what I did to make the sticky papers. I bought fluorescent poster board and cut them to the size I wanted (4"x 7") and used a hole punch to punch a hole in the top and bottom. I spread tangle foot using a plastic spoon on one side of the poster board and laid another cut poster board over the first one and spread more tangle foot on that one so when I pulled them apart the one will have tangle foot on both sides without making to much of a mess. I then place a wire through the two holes and placed them in my SFG boxes. I hope this all makes sence. P.S. The last picture all the black spots are bugs that got stuck in the sticky paper after 2 days.
little flying buggers DSC04877

**Furbalsmom** 3/13/2011, 9:20 pm

Model A Man

I have never used tanglefoot, but from what you said, it makes sticky paper that attracts bugs and holds them. Where would you suggest that I look for this product? I had aphids and what I would call white flies (swarmed as I walked thru the garden) last year.

This sounds like a good thing to try.

model a man 3/13/2011, 11:16 pm

I found it at OSH hardware store here in socal

Megan 3/14/2011, 6:50 pm

Is there a practical aspect to the fluorescent paper color, or just for fun?

**camprn** 3/14/2011, 9:00 pm

I always heard to use yellow paper. I think it attracts the wee buggers. :idea:

Nonna.PapaVino 3/14/2011, 9:18 pm

Yellow's good, but red catches more apple maggot flys, so I'm told. Guess color has something to do with the bugs' preferred dinner.

Megan 3/14/2011, 9:20 pm

Great info, folks!

model a man 3/14/2011, 11:58 pm

Megan wrote:Is there a practical aspect to the fluorescent paper color, or just for fun?

I was told that they go for bright colors. I know the stickey papers you can buy are yellow. the pack of poster board came with the colors I use and I did notice they are more attracted to the yellow and green than the pink

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